Best of the East Bay 2016: Kids

Trendy kids clothes; a tractor museum for budding mechanics.

By Peter Crooks

Published: June 24, 2016

Kids’ Museum: Lindsay Wildlife Experience

Perennial Winner This longtime favorite at Walnut Creek’s Larkey Park recently opened its first new exhibition in three years: The interactive What’s Wild—What’s Not shows kids why some animals need to live in the wild while others can be domesticated. This summer, Lindsay’s Manzanita Room will be full of information about camping, and the museum will host a campout on July 16. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek, (925) 935-1978, lindsaywildlife.org.

Kids’ Haircut: Cool Tops

This Pleasant Hill salon is a winner with readers because it makes the haircut experience fun for kids. From the barber chairs shaped like a motorcycle and carousel horse to the Curious George videos shown during cuts, Cool Tops keeps things playful from the moment your child walks into the shop. 2255 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill, (925) 798-5214, coolcutsforkids.com.

Summer Camp: Cal Camps and Youth Programs

The range of programs offered by this four-time Best of the East Bay winner is stunning. Five- to 17-year-olds can choose from various weeklong camps, including archery, martial arts, rock climbing, sea kayaking, and myriad other athletic offerings. Academic camps meet at the Lawrence Hall of Science, and Cal offers social skills camps for kids with Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning autism. 2301 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, (510) 643-2267, camps.berkeley.edu.

Toy Store: Five Little Monkeys

I recently had to buy a last-minute gift for a five-year-old. I thought about toys I liked at that age, and one came to mind: Shrinky Dinks—those plastic sheets you color and then bake into little jewels. I went to Five Little Monkeys, and sure enough, they had ‘em. The store also had Aquabeads, Candy Land, and Legos, and so many other delights that I’ll never panic about buying a birthday gift again. 1224 Solano Ave., Albany, (510) 528-4411; 1366 N. Main St., Walnut Creek, (925) 939-4411, 5littlemonkeys.com.

Gymnastics Studio: Encore Gym

This Concord gym offers acrobatics, dance, gymnastics, and tumbling classes for every level, from just learning to walk tiny tumblers to eyes-on-the-prize Olympic hopefuls. With more than three decades of experience and a wall of Best Gymnastics Class awards on display, it’s no wonder Encore gets a 10 with its parent judges. 999 Bancroft Rd., Concord, (925) 932-1033, encoregym.com.

Tutoring: Lafayette Academy

These locally owned learning centers tailor their tutoring programs to local school curricula, and are particularly popular with students wanting to cram for AP exams and college-entrance tests. For kids who love to study during summer vacation, all three locations offer six-session SAT and ACT preparation courses in July and August. 760 San Ramon Valley Blvd., (925) 855-3700, Danville; 3400 Mt. Diablo Blvd., (925) 284-1644, Lafayette; 1400 Moraga Way, (925) 376-0747, Moraga, lafayetteacademy.com.

Ice-Cream Shop: Cream

When the first Cream location opened in 2010, the response was like gangbusters. All day long, people lined up along Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue for the shop’s signature ice-cream sandwiches made with fresh-baked cookies. This family business quickly grew into a powerhouse enterprise, with shops opening as far away as Florida. Cream’s two-inch mini-ice cream sandwiches are the perfect size for kiddos, and won’t leave you cleaning up sticky fingers and faces. Locations in Alameda, Berkeley, Concord, Livermore, Oakland, and Walnut Creek, creamnation.com.

Family Photographer: Gretchen Adams Photography

This Concord-based photographer has been taking portraits of children and families since 1999. Adams does it all—maternity, head shots, and pets. Her favorite part about working with families is watching them grow up through a camera lens. “A lot of these families came to me with their newborns or their toddlers, and now I’m photographing them as high school seniors, creating one last grand family portrait session before the kids start leaving the nest,” Adams says. (925) 676-7036, gaphotography.com.

Museum for Li’l Mechanics: Forest Home Farms’ Tractor Museum

Editor Pick Do you have one of those mechanically inclined kids who can’t get enough of tractors, trucks, and steam shovels? If so, he or she is sure to love the Tractor Museum at San Ramon’s Forest Home Farms Historic Park. This collection of restored antique tractors from the 1920s through 1950s is on display during scheduled tours and special events at the farm. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon, (925) 973-3284, www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us.

Dance Studio: Funkmode

Long story short: Trendy Kids’ Threads

New Kids’ Shop: Prim Pop

The New Kid Editor Pick With seemingly every department store now selling a cobranded line of Carter’s clothing, it is getting harder to help kiddos develop their own sense of style. So we’re thanking our screen-printed stars for recently opened Prim Pop in downtown Pleasanton.

But before you explore the store, drop off your kids in the back playroom—complete with a chalkboard wall, TV, books, and a giant Lovesac pillow covered in faux fur. On the first Saturday of each month, the playroom hosts story time and crafts. 560 Main St., Pleasanton, (925) 223-6601, iloveprim.com. —LeeAnne Jones

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Faces

In celebration of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s outgoing artistic director, Tony Taccone, 475 Bay Area arts supporters gathered at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco for a memorable evening. The festivities honored Taccone’s 22 years with the nonprofit as a visionary leader, and more than $1 million
was raised in support of the theater’s artistic endeavors and programs. Bob the Drag Queen performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Rita Moreno sang “This Is All I Ask” from Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, which Taccone wrote.

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation (LLLCF) hosted its annual fundraiser, where book lovers had the chance to roam the library after hours with friends and family. Filled with revelry, dancing, and dessert, the event raised $450,000 for the library and much-needed improvements to the Children’s Area deck.

The East Bay SPCA’s benefit celebrated the many donors and members of the community who take part in helping animals. Guests toured the Oakland facility and met animals that are up for adoption, while savoring an array of food, craft beer, and wine. All proceeds from the auctions went toward the SPCA’s services.

Guests dressed up in storybook attire and experienced a magical evening at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. At the 24th annual gala, attendees appreciated enchanting decor, a delicious dinner, delectable desserts, and various auction items. This year’s sold-out event was the theme park’s most successful bash yet, raising more than $250,000. All proceeds help Children’s Fairyland continue to provide children with a place that fosters imagination, encourages creativity, and prompts a desire to learn.

At this yearly black-tie event benefiting the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, attendees gathered at the Diablo Country Club for a delightful evening and enjoyed a three-course dinner, drinks, dancing, and a live auction. All proceeds went directly to the Food Bank, which has been providing food to one in eight residents in Contra Costa and Solano counties for more than 40 years.

Richmond’s Making Waves Academy welcomed two-time Grammy Award winner LL COOL J to the school to have a discussion with the students. The recording artist spoke about the importance of education, his path to becoming an entertainer, and the impact his upbringing had on his success. At Making Waves, 5th- to 12th-grade students receive a rigorous, holistic education to prepare them for college and beyond.

In honor of its 30th anniversary, the John Muir Land Trust hosted a very special incarnation of its annual gathering. Conservation leaders and thousands of supporters came together at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez to celebrate with live music, fine wine, gourmet food, and an auction.

This one-night-only fundraiser at the Fox Theater in Oakland ultimately raised more than $3 million for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, thanks to its all-star lineup of performers and speakers, which included Ryan Tedder of One Republic and actress Helen Hunt.

The Rotary Club of Lafayette hosted a benefit for the nonprofit New Day for Children. The Alamo-based organization works to aid the recovery of American girls rescued from sex trafficking through a variety of services, including psychological, educational, and other restorative programs. The fundraising event included a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner, and a live auction.

Fans of the Lindsay Wildlife Experience got wild at the museum and wildlife hospital’s annual soiree. Held at Danville’s Blackhawk Museum, the night saw some of Lindsay’s animal ambassadors join the mix as guests danced to music by The Cheeseballs following a full dinner catered by Scott’s Seafood Walnut Creek and both live and silent auctions. Funds from the event support Lindsay’s goal of connecting people with wildlife by saving animals’ lives and providing up-close animal encounters for visitors.

For the past 18 years, Concord’s Monument Impact has been a force in the city, serving its vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities. Recently, the nonprofit center hosted its Stronger Together gala to celebrate the work that volunteers, local businesses, unions, and others have done to support immigrants in the East Bay. Among those honored for their contributions were volunteer English tutor (and onetime San Francisco Giant) Rob Andrews, former board member Margaret Hanlon-Gradie, and John Muir Health.